The Big Mac gave McDonald's a large red-and-yellow packaging design in 1968.
The Big Mac was created by franchisee Jim Delligatti and introduced nationally in 1968. Its distinctive two-all-beef-patty construction, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, and sesame-seed bun made it a natural candidate for prominent product branding. The sandwich became one of McDonald's best-known menu symbols.
Big Mac packaging has changed over the decades, but red and yellow became strongly associated with the product's visual presentation. The item also supported memorable advertising, including the later “Big Mac” jingle that listed its ingredients.
The Big Mac's launch date is sometimes confused with its earlier regional testing. Delligatti first sold the sandwich in the Pittsburgh area before the national introduction. The Quarter Pounder was introduced in 1971, so it was not the menu item associated with the 1968 national Big Mac launch.